Sorry if there is already a thread for this book. I searched and didn't find one. Just thought since it is the most baking-heavy time of the year I'd start this up. Favorite recipes? Pictures!?

I just made the rugelach:

I made it with black cherry jam... MMMMMMMmmmmmMMMMMM!!! This recipe is so good. If you haven't made it yet, you should! A tip for cutting up your raisins: keep a small bowl of water nearby to dip your fingers in every once and a while. It'll keep the raisins from sticking to your fingers. Chopping up the raisins went by much more smoothly when I figured this out.

I haven't made much from this book, mostly because a lot of the recipes call for commercial egg replacer. I did make the hearty spiced cocoa muffins for my brother's birthday, with flax instead of ener-G, and they turned out awesome!

I also made the pumpkin pie (a few years ago, for thanksgiving) and it never set right.

From what I recall, I made the focaccia (also a few years ago) and it turned out great (though I've never made it before or since).

[quote="Louzilla"]a lot of the recipes call for commercial egg replacer.[/quote

Yeah, I thought that was odd too... Although a lot of the recipes do give you a choice between which to use and in the very beginning of the book she talks about the variety of egg replacers... It really seems that you could always just opt to use flax instead of ener-g but that the recipes are just what she's found to work best? I don't know. I don't have a problem with using Ener-G, but I also don't bake a lot.

I don't have a problem using Ener-G egg replacer either and it was actually one of the first things I bought when I went vegan as I wasn't sure what to use to replace eggs in recipes. I've learned a lot since then, but this still comes in handy every once in awhile (esp. if I'm trying to veganize a recipe).

I do love this cookbook and it's one of my first "go-to" cookbooks for baked goods.

Her suggestion that you blend the Ener-G egg replacer in the blender is a really good idea.

_________________A whole lot of access and privilege goes into being sanctimonious pricks J-DubDessert is currently a big bowl of sanctimonious, passive aggressive vegan enduced boak. FezzaYou people are way less funny than Pandacookie. Sucks to be you.-interrobang?!

The problem with this book is its inconsistency--some recipes are great, but there are a fair number that don't work or are just meh. Tinctoris has it, and after trying recipes from it at his place I decided I didn't need my own copy.

_________________No. No. fork life allatimes. - mumblesThat commercial didn't make me want to go out and buy Dove, but this thread did make me sniff my armpits. They smell like apricot. - designedtobekind

Well, the rugelach is so amazing I'm actually going to make another batch today! :-) I might even do each dough ball as a different flavor! I really want to try to make one with a chocolate-hazelnut spread, too. I think it'd be SO yummy.

I forget who else told me they had a problem with the breads, but I felt better knowing it wasn't just me and/or my oven. Everything else has made perfectly so far. I even tried making the bread in mini loaves and it still was gummy in the middle.

I have Ener-G because I got a bread machine and wanted to use their recipes. :-) They have a peperoni and cheese bread in there that I'm DYING to veganize just to see how it comes out, but also other bread recipes just haven't worked in there. So Ener-G & soy milk powder to the rescue! I'm pretty sure you could also just use some ground up flax seeds & water in the recipes (even the JOVB ones) where it calls for Ener-G.

I also love the hearty spiced cocoa muffins and the banana chocolate chip muffins. The scones are really good too (I've tried the chocolate chip and the gingerbread). I used to make the drop biscuits all the time, since they're so fast and easy and my boyfriend loves them. And the chocolate chip cookie recipe was my go-to until VCIYCJ came out—really good, even with Ener-G.

Other recipes were not so good, so I'm still a little wary of trying new ones. I've had so-so luck with the cupcakes, and I tried to make the Irish soda bread and ended up throwing out a rock.

Maybe I've just managed to skip all of the iffy recipes from this book, but I've never made anything bad out of here. There have been a few things that weren't the best, but nothing seriously disappointing. It's definitely one of my go-to books for vegan baking.

I know Alicia's latest book (Quick & Easy Vegan Celebrations) has an Irish Soda Bread recipe. So I guess I can try to JOVB one for you and if that doesn't work I have a fall back. :-)

Yeah, the bread I tried was the Pumpkin Spice Bread and both times I made it was a fail. The first time a regular sized loaf, the second time in mini-loaf pans. Both times no matter how long I put it in, the inside refused to bake fully.

FYI: chocolate-hazelnut spread TOTALLY works in the rugelach! It stayed together, it didn't melt into a puddle of ooze! I only made a half batch for science and they are yummy! Tomorrow I think I'm going to put a few chocolate chips in there before I roll them up. :-)

The chocolate chip cookies are my favorite. I make that recipe and the VCTOTW fluffy buttercream for cookie sammiches that are a million times better than the ones from Babycakes. I made cookies a few days ago and am hiding them from my omni brother. What a Little Red Hen I am.

The fudge is good too. I haven't made too many things yet, but what I've made, I have enjoyed.

_________________"A dozen donuts for two people is totally reasonable. A dozen donuts for just one person, also totally reasonable." - hoveringdog™

I don't know what it is, but I have had so many problems with nearly every recipe I have tried from this book, that I have thought about giving it to Good Will just to avoid the temptation of making anything out of there again.

Joined: Wed Oct 20, 2010 2:10 pmPosts: 777Location: between a rock and a hard place

Louzilla wrote:

I haven't made much from this book, mostly because a lot of the recipes call for commercial egg replacer

Same here...I'll use Ener-G as an egg replacer of last resort in certain nonvegan recipes, but it seems like a cop-out when a vegan cookbook relies too heavily on it.

I think I've only made the pumpkin bread out of this cookbook, following the recipe to the letter (other than removing some of the cloves because I don't like them in large amounts). It was gummy and generally didn't turn out right.

Joined: Wed Oct 20, 2010 2:10 pmPosts: 777Location: between a rock and a hard place

Scruffleupagus wrote:

Yeah, the bread I tried was the Pumpkin Spice Bread and both times I made it was a fail. The first time a regular sized loaf, the second time in mini-loaf pans. Both times no matter how long I put it in, the inside refused to bake fully.

I didn't see this before I posted, but it's good to know that it's the recipe, not me!

I really wasn't impressed with this book. I thought the spiced cocoa muffins and the brownies were chalky, and though the apple cake (the one with the apple slices arranged all prettily on top) was good, flavor-wise it could use a little oomph. The lemon bars tasted good but didn't set up (could be my fault for adding too much tofu), and one of the cookie recipes didn't work for me at all.

There are plenty of things that look good, but I'm nervous to try them!

I'm going to try the baklava and hope for the best. Also the no-bake peanut butter chocolate pie seems like it would work out fine. The book was worth it just for people asking me to make more rugelach (most of my requesting coworkers still have no idea it was vegan). :-D

Has anyone tried the apple strudel? I would have to assume that would also come out fine since it's a phylo dough pastry. Seems like the only recipes that are hit or miss are breads and muffins and such.